CHAPTER XXIV.

SOLE SECRETARYSHIP--FIRST ANNUAL REPORT, 1854.

PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT (1855-9).

Lord Canning, 263--Arrangement of Secretarial Duties, 264--The Staff of Officers, 266--Annual Reports. Monthly Report of Improvements in hand, 267--Post Office _versus_ Board of Works, 268--Free Delivery, 270--London District Offices, 271--Scotch and Irish Mails, 273--Need of Railway Legislation, 276--Sir G. C. Lewis, 277--Government Loans to Railway Companies, 278--Government Purchase of Railways. Royal Commission on Railways, 283--Arbitration, 284--True Interests of the Companies, 285--Money Orders. Contract Work, 286--Post Office _versus_ Admiralty. Mr. Trollope, 288--Panama Route, 290--Indian Mutiny, 292--Acceleration of News, 294--Revenue and Expenditure, 295--Predictions Fulfilled, 297--Promotion by Merit. Sir W. Hayter, 298--Civil Service Examination, 300--Letter from Sir C. Trevelyan, 301--Health of Officers, 302--Life Insurance, 304--Mutual Guarantees, 307--Libraries, 308.

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER XXIV.

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT (1854).

Soldiers' Letters. Colonial and Foreign Posts, 310--Street Nomenclature and House Numbering, 311--Early History of the Post Office, 312--Improvement in Accounts. Number of Offices, 313--Number of Letters. Returned Letters, 314--Registration, 315--Soldiers' Remittances. Extension of Money Order System to Colonies, 316--Transference of Management of Colonial Post Offices. Foreign Posts, 317--United States, 318--Mr. Pliny Miles, 319--Treaties made easily Terminable, 320.